Soft collar



Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,202

. N. E. WALTER sow COLLAR Filed Aug. 4. 1926 Patented Nov, 15, 1927.

l ill ihlfi STATES NAOMI E. XVALTEBJ, 01" ST. EAUL, BEINNESOTA.

soar contain.

Application filed August t, 1926. Serial No. 127,022.

The object of my invention is to provide a soft collar with novel means for retaining a cravat or neck tie in proper position, said means being adapted to coact with the cravat in retaining the top portion, or nor mally outer fold of the collar, smoothly in position relative to the cravat and neck of the wearer.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel stiffening means, which will prevent objectionable curling or wrinkling of the front edges or points of the top of the collar.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a. front elevation of my improved collar with a cravat in place therein; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the collar with the top folded outward and laid flat so as to show the inner surfaces of the top and neck band and Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of F 2. My improved collar has the usual neck band 4c oi the. detachable type having button holes 5 and 6 adapted to receiye buttons for attaching the same to a shirt. Secured to the upper edge of the neck band 4: is atop portion 7, arranged to be told ed outward in the usual manner to receive a cravat or neck tie between its inner surface and the outer surface of the neck band 4. As shown in Fig. 3, the top portion 7 has a lining 8 and an outer cover 9 secured together along the upper, lower and front edges of the collar.

Upon the inner surface near the ends of the top portion 7, I attach broad strips oi fabric 10 adapted to retain a cravat 11 between the upper portions of the top 7 and neck band st. Each of these strips of fabric 10 extends from the upper to the lower edge of the top 7, and is secured thereto by stitches 10 parallel to the lower and lateral edges of the strips and also across the upper and lower ends oi the strips. The outer or front edge of each strip 10 is secured to the top 7 only from its lower extremity to a point 12, about midway between the upper and lower edges of the top, leaving an opening 13 (Fig. between the lining 8 and the end strip 10. Along its inner edge 1%, each strip is secured to the lining 8 of the top 7 only "from the lower edge of the top to a point 15 opposite the point 12 on the outer edge. The stitches securing each strip 10 to thetop at its inner edge 1% do not extend through the outer cover port-ion 9 of the collar, but engage the lining 8.

"The strips 10 are unattached to the top 7 at their edges 16 and 17, leaving the opening 13 for the cravat, and the central, longitudinal portion of each of said strips is free from the top. It will be noted that each strip 10 is not sewed or secured in any manner to the top portion 7 upon the line extending between the points 12 and 15. The front or open edge 17 of each strip 10 is offset back from the front edge of the top 7 so that the strips 10 are not visible when the collar is in use. Near the middle of the. neck band 4 a loop for the eravat is formed by a tape 18 secured at its ends near the upper and lower edges of the neck band.

In use, the cravat is inserted through the openings 13 between the strips 10 and top portion 7 and also between the tape 18 and neck band so as to extend in the usual manner between the folded top and neck hand. Now when the cravat istied it will draw the top 7 firmly in against the shirt by engage;- ment with the wide strips 10. This drawing in or the top 7 would cause wrinkling and curling up of the points of the top in the absence of my peculiar arrangement of stitches connecting the strips to the top. By reason of my peculiar arrangement of these strips 10, all wrinkling or curling of the top is prevented. The wrinkling usually caused by retaining members placed on the inner surface of the top is eliminated in my invention by distributing the pull of the tie against the lining of the top at the inner edge of each strip 10 and against the trout and lower edges or the top at the outer and lower edges of said strips. 1 have found that ii. the strip 10 is secured to the top along a line extending between the points 12 and 15, an sightly wrinkling and curling of the lower corners of the top is produced. The lower portions of the strips 10 which are secured along their margins to the top 7, in addition to distributing the pull of the cravat, produce a. stiffening of the collar points which are apt to curl and become unsightly in other collars known to me.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In a soft collar the combination with a neck band and a top foldable downward from the upper edge of said neck band, a

strip of fabric of substantial width extending upon the inner surface of said top near each front end thereof, means securing said strips to said top along their upper and lower ends, the upper portions of the side edges of said strips being unattached to said top to permit insertion of a cravat between said strips and top and means securing the lower portions of at least one side edge of each of said strips to said top upon lines extending upward from their lower ends.

2. In a soft collar the combination with a neck band and a top foldable downward from the upper edge of said neek band, a

strip of fabric of substantial width extending upon the inner surface of said top near each front end thereof, means securing said strips to said top along their upper and lower ends, the upper portions of the side edges of said strips being unattached to said top to permit insertion of a cravat between said strips and top and means securing the lower portions of the side edges of said strips to said top upon lines extending upward from their lower ends, the central, longitudinal portions of said strips being unsecured to the top.

3. In a soft collar the combination with a neck band and a top foldable downward from the upper edge of said neck band, a lining secured to the margins of said top, a strip of fabric of substantial width extending upon the inner surface of said lining near each front end of the top, means se curing said strips to said top along their upper and lower ends, the upper portions of the side edges of said strips being unattached to said top to form an opening for a crai'at, means securing the inner side edges of said strips to said lining onl and means securing the lower portions of the side edges to said top along lines extending upward from their lower ends to said opening, the. central, longitudinal portions of said strips being unsecured to the top.

4. In a softcollar of the class described, the combination with a neck band and a top foldable downward from the upper edge of said neck band, a wide fabric strip secured at its normally upper end adjacent to the fold line between said top and neck band and forming a single retaining member for a cravat .on the upper portion of said top said member terminating approximately midway between the upper and lower edges of said top, a normally lower portion of said strip coinciding with a normally front end of said top and with the adjacent portion of the lower edge thereof, said lower portion being secured along its lower and front edges to said top. but being unsecured thereto at its central, longitudinal portion whereby the pull of the cravat is distributed to the front and lower edges of said top.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

NAOMI E. \VALTER. 

